Several schools across the state earned a pair of home games for this weekend’s first round games, and many of those schools have made the decision to treat their fans to a playoff doubleheader. North Gwinnett is one of those schools that will feature a double dip as the boys game against Central Gwinnett has been moved to Friday night, directly following the girls matchup against South Gwinnett. Defending Class AAAA champion Miller Grove will play on Friday, following its girls as will Class AAA defending champion Columbia. The boys programs at Valdosta, Alcovy, Jonesboro, Fayette County, Allatoona, Crisp County, Carrollton, Morgan County, Putnam County, Wilcox County and Taylor County will also make the move to Friday night. Meanwhile the girls programs at Troup, North Hall Westside-Augusta and Wilkinson County will all move their games to Saturday night. Playoff tickets are $7 for the Friday night girls games and Saturday night boys games, however the doubleheaders will be $10 according to the GHSA mandated pricing structure. ...
A program that flew under the radar this basketball season was, no doubt, the Brookwood girls. Parkview received the acclaim of an undefeated season and a region title, but the Broncos, unranked for much of the year, finished with a 12-4 region record and could make some noise in the postseason. Head coach Scott Terry will have his girls ready for a young Mill Creek team that should be explosive in 2012-13. ...
Defending Class AAAAA boys champion Norcross faces Region 8-AAAAA champion Berkmar in the first round. The Patriots knocked off Shiloh in the region championship game, otherwise the Blue Devils would be up against Robert Carter and the Generals. As it stands now, Shiloh hosts Mill Creek. ...
Finally fans of rewarding the postseason over regular season success should love South Cobb whose 13-14 record doesn’t matter as the Eagles finished second in the region tournament and will host Jenkins in the first round.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
First round matchups could get very interesting
Several first round matchups will certain have people’s interest piqued this Friday and Saturday night. Defending Class AAAAA champion Norcross will hit the road to face Region 8-AAAAA champ Berkmar. The Patriot’s Yonel Brown and the Blue Devils’ Brandon Goodwin will bring the star power but expect Berkmar’s Tim Rowe and Adonai Rogers to have an impact if the Patriots are to bounce the defending champs.
Marietta entered the rankings last week at No. 7, but an upset loss to Lassiter sent the Blue Devils on the road for the first round. The Lassiter coaching staff was incredibly excited following the semifinal victory, and while the Trojans couldn’t knock off Wheeler for the region title, Niles Clark and the rest of the team is playing with confidence and could be dangerous.
Milton is starting to flex its muscles a bit, racking up triple digits in the Region 6 championship game. The Eagles won the title two years ago and made the finals last year before losing to Norcross. Expect David Boyd to have his team frothing at the idea of another title.
Alcovy was able to knock off Fayette County in a highly-anticipated Region 3-AAAA championship game. Now Alcovy must put an emotional win quickly behind them and focus on a dangerous Forest Park squad.
In perhaps the most anticipated Class AAAA region championship game, Miller Grove received a huge effort from Christian Houston to knock off Southwest DeKalb 67-63. Senior Tony Parker is looking for a fourth straight championship before he heads off to the McDonald’s All-America Game.
It was a tough eight-day stretch for the Washington County boys basketball team. While the girls continued their 59-game winning streak, the boys fell for the first time all year, losing their regular season finale to Hancock Central, then following that up with two losses in the Region 3-AAA tournament. The Golden Hawks will be the No. 4 seed and will travel to face Drew in round one after starting the season 22-0.
Marietta entered the rankings last week at No. 7, but an upset loss to Lassiter sent the Blue Devils on the road for the first round. The Lassiter coaching staff was incredibly excited following the semifinal victory, and while the Trojans couldn’t knock off Wheeler for the region title, Niles Clark and the rest of the team is playing with confidence and could be dangerous.
Milton is starting to flex its muscles a bit, racking up triple digits in the Region 6 championship game. The Eagles won the title two years ago and made the finals last year before losing to Norcross. Expect David Boyd to have his team frothing at the idea of another title.
Alcovy was able to knock off Fayette County in a highly-anticipated Region 3-AAAA championship game. Now Alcovy must put an emotional win quickly behind them and focus on a dangerous Forest Park squad.
In perhaps the most anticipated Class AAAA region championship game, Miller Grove received a huge effort from Christian Houston to knock off Southwest DeKalb 67-63. Senior Tony Parker is looking for a fourth straight championship before he heads off to the McDonald’s All-America Game.
It was a tough eight-day stretch for the Washington County boys basketball team. While the girls continued their 59-game winning streak, the boys fell for the first time all year, losing their regular season finale to Hancock Central, then following that up with two losses in the Region 3-AAA tournament. The Golden Hawks will be the No. 4 seed and will travel to face Drew in round one after starting the season 22-0.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Mt. Pisgah takes region after "biggest win in program history"
The Mt. Pisgah Patriots completed the most impressive stretch in its history after defeating Wesleyan for the just the second time ever then taking out Providence Christian in double overtime 64-54 to win the Region 5-A title. Freshman point guard Aaron Winchester hit a 10-foot shot to beat the buzzer in the first overtime period before the Patriots pulled away in the second OT. Kyle Sloter, who will head to Southern Mississippi to play football, was named first team All Region for the third year in a row, and he was huge against Wesleyan, pouring in 20 points including 5-6 from 3-point range.
Diamond DeShields appears to be healthy again as the Norcross junior tallied 24 points in a 53-38 win over North Gwinnett in the Region 7-AAAAA championship game. Norcross outscored North Gwinnett 17-2 in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs received 25 points from junior Lexie Brown, who was saddled with foul trouble for much of the first half.
It was a special night for North Cobb boys coach Terry Gorsuch. The Warriors defeated South Cobb 70-52, giving Gorsuch his first region title in 13 seasons with the program as well as his 200th career victory. North Cobb will face the Bradwell Institute in the first round of the playoffs.
Allisha Gray was at it again for the Washington County Hawks, scoring 30 points as the defending Class AAA champs won their third straight region title. The Hawks are now 27-0 on the year and have won 59 straight.
All good things must eventually end, and Wilcox County found that out the hard way. The three-time defending Region 2-A champions fell in the title game 48-44 to Lanier County. Wilcox County led for most of the game, allowing the Bulldogs to seize control with a little more than three minutes to play in the fourth before Malik Kone finished off the Patriots with 16 points.
Diamond DeShields appears to be healthy again as the Norcross junior tallied 24 points in a 53-38 win over North Gwinnett in the Region 7-AAAAA championship game. Norcross outscored North Gwinnett 17-2 in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs received 25 points from junior Lexie Brown, who was saddled with foul trouble for much of the first half.
It was a special night for North Cobb boys coach Terry Gorsuch. The Warriors defeated South Cobb 70-52, giving Gorsuch his first region title in 13 seasons with the program as well as his 200th career victory. North Cobb will face the Bradwell Institute in the first round of the playoffs.
Allisha Gray was at it again for the Washington County Hawks, scoring 30 points as the defending Class AAA champs won their third straight region title. The Hawks are now 27-0 on the year and have won 59 straight.
All good things must eventually end, and Wilcox County found that out the hard way. The three-time defending Region 2-A champions fell in the title game 48-44 to Lanier County. Wilcox County led for most of the game, allowing the Bulldogs to seize control with a little more than three minutes to play in the fourth before Malik Kone finished off the Patriots with 16 points.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Which Dawg goes first?
The Georgia Bulldogs have had some success in recent years during the NFL Draft. Last year A.J. Green went No. 4 overall to Cincinnati with two more going in the third round and a pair going in the fourth round. On Draft Day 2009, Matthew Stafford went No. 1 overall and Knowshon Moreno went 11 picks later at No. 12. In fact Georgia has had 57 players drafted since Mark Richt’s first game as head coach.
Georgia won’t have many first round picks this year, something Richt is likely happy about as several key underclassmen decided to return to Athens for the 2012 season. But one or two Georgia Bulldogs could still sneak into the first round. Three players in particular come to mind in this draft class, but which one will be selected first?
The NFL Network’s Mike Mayock projects TE Orson Charles as the first tight end taken, but that likely won’t happen until the second round. He predicted Charles going somewhere between 35 and 45 and definitely gone by No. 50. The tight end position was shown to be incredibly valuable this year with breakout years from Jimmy Graham, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. Charles has nice size at 6-foot-3, 240-pounds, but doesn’t have the Gronkowski size, and despite massive hype, Charles only pulled in 10 touchdowns over his three seasons in Athens.
James Alder of About Football has OG Cordy Glenn as the No. 29 overall prospect but going to Chicago at No. 27. Glenn played both guard and tackle while in Athens and the versatility plus the 6-foot-5, 350-pound frame will get plenty of looks by NFL teams.
Dane Brugler of CBS Sports has Glenn going to the New York Giants with the No. 32 in the first round, right after Brandon Boykin goes to New England at No. 31. Boykin is an interesting possibility as he played special teams in addition to cornerback for the Dawgs his first three years on campus then got onto the field on offense as a senior. His first ever offensive touch, he took 80 yards for a rushing score. Bill Belichick loves players that can do different things on the football field, as evidenced by his using wide receivers as corners in recent years.
Brugler’s co-worker at CBSSports has Glenn going to Pittsburgh at No. 24, a team that churns out All-Pro offensive linemen.
Ben Jones will likely get drafted but few teams take centers in the first round, so expect to see Jones taken in the third or fourth round.
Draft Day 2013 will likely see several Bulldogs taken early as Jarvis Jones, Bacarri Rambo, John Jenkins and several others could elect to take their talents to the NFL. Richt will hope that all play like first round picks this year; if so Georgia could have a special season.
Georgia won’t have many first round picks this year, something Richt is likely happy about as several key underclassmen decided to return to Athens for the 2012 season. But one or two Georgia Bulldogs could still sneak into the first round. Three players in particular come to mind in this draft class, but which one will be selected first?
The NFL Network’s Mike Mayock projects TE Orson Charles as the first tight end taken, but that likely won’t happen until the second round. He predicted Charles going somewhere between 35 and 45 and definitely gone by No. 50. The tight end position was shown to be incredibly valuable this year with breakout years from Jimmy Graham, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. Charles has nice size at 6-foot-3, 240-pounds, but doesn’t have the Gronkowski size, and despite massive hype, Charles only pulled in 10 touchdowns over his three seasons in Athens.
James Alder of About Football has OG Cordy Glenn as the No. 29 overall prospect but going to Chicago at No. 27. Glenn played both guard and tackle while in Athens and the versatility plus the 6-foot-5, 350-pound frame will get plenty of looks by NFL teams.
Dane Brugler of CBS Sports has Glenn going to the New York Giants with the No. 32 in the first round, right after Brandon Boykin goes to New England at No. 31. Boykin is an interesting possibility as he played special teams in addition to cornerback for the Dawgs his first three years on campus then got onto the field on offense as a senior. His first ever offensive touch, he took 80 yards for a rushing score. Bill Belichick loves players that can do different things on the football field, as evidenced by his using wide receivers as corners in recent years.
Brugler’s co-worker at CBSSports has Glenn going to Pittsburgh at No. 24, a team that churns out All-Pro offensive linemen.
Ben Jones will likely get drafted but few teams take centers in the first round, so expect to see Jones taken in the third or fourth round.
Draft Day 2013 will likely see several Bulldogs taken early as Jarvis Jones, Bacarri Rambo, John Jenkins and several others could elect to take their talents to the NFL. Richt will hope that all play like first round picks this year; if so Georgia could have a special season.
Several basketball programs clinch first ever state berth
The Archer girls clinched the program’s first ever state title berth with a 47-45 win over Central Gwinnett in the Region 8-AAAAA tournament. The team has been playing at the varsity level for just three years. Kayla Rogers had 10 points in the third quarter to help the Tigers advance. Archer now faces top-seeded Parkview in the semifinals. The Panthers are ranked No. 2 in the latest Score poll. ...
The Veterans boys also earned the program’s first trip to the state playoffs with a 73-68 win over Mary Persons, the defending Region 2-AAA champions. Mary Persons received 31 points from standout junior Brannen Greene, but Veterans countered with 15 from Jonathan Robertson and 14 from Jabari Leggette. ...
Region tournaments give each and every team, no matter what happened during the regular season, a shot at making the state tournament, and 2012 has been kind to a few teams that struggled during the year. Benedictine, the No. 9 seed in Region 3-AAAAA, knocked off Camden County to win its fourth game of the year. Last night Benedictine faced No. 1 seed Johnson-Savannah, and it was ugly quick as Johnson won 89-54. ...
In Region 8-AAA, Lumpkin County defeated West Hall to improve to 3-23 in the play-in game Monday. Last night Lumpkin County faced North Hall, the region’s top seed, and despite a strong showing by the Indians, North Hall advanced 55-44. ...
The White County girls seek to advance to the Region 8-AAA semifinals and clinch a berth in the state tournament when the Warriors take on Oconee County. White County has not made the state tournament since 2002 when four-sport standout D.J. Galbiati, the program’s all-time leading scorer, was a sophomore guard. ...
Finally, the 2011-12 GHSA Traditional Wrestling championships get underway today at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. The event has been at the venue since 2006, but next year due to scheduling conflicts, the traditional championships may be forced to move as the Arena will be hosting the circus. The GHSA has not announced if it will change the dates or the venue.
The Veterans boys also earned the program’s first trip to the state playoffs with a 73-68 win over Mary Persons, the defending Region 2-AAA champions. Mary Persons received 31 points from standout junior Brannen Greene, but Veterans countered with 15 from Jonathan Robertson and 14 from Jabari Leggette. ...
Region tournaments give each and every team, no matter what happened during the regular season, a shot at making the state tournament, and 2012 has been kind to a few teams that struggled during the year. Benedictine, the No. 9 seed in Region 3-AAAAA, knocked off Camden County to win its fourth game of the year. Last night Benedictine faced No. 1 seed Johnson-Savannah, and it was ugly quick as Johnson won 89-54. ...
In Region 8-AAA, Lumpkin County defeated West Hall to improve to 3-23 in the play-in game Monday. Last night Lumpkin County faced North Hall, the region’s top seed, and despite a strong showing by the Indians, North Hall advanced 55-44. ...
The White County girls seek to advance to the Region 8-AAA semifinals and clinch a berth in the state tournament when the Warriors take on Oconee County. White County has not made the state tournament since 2002 when four-sport standout D.J. Galbiati, the program’s all-time leading scorer, was a sophomore guard. ...
Finally, the 2011-12 GHSA Traditional Wrestling championships get underway today at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. The event has been at the venue since 2006, but next year due to scheduling conflicts, the traditional championships may be forced to move as the Arena will be hosting the circus. The GHSA has not announced if it will change the dates or the venue.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
DeShields is back, Warren County is out
The Norcross Blue Devils girls basketball team is trying to defend its back-to-back Class AAAAA titles, and Angie Hembree’s squad began the Region 7-AAAAA tournament with a boost from Diamond DeShields. The star junior injured the wrist (her non-shooting hand) in the Blue Devils win against North Gwinnett January 17, but Coach Hembree told Score at the time she expected DeShields, “to be back in time for the playoffs.” DeShields contributed 10 points to help Norcross qualify for the playoffs with a win over Mountain View. The Blue Devils will face either Mill Creek or Collins Hill in the next round. ...
Score was alerted to the possibility of Warren County’s basketball team pulling out of the Region 7-A basketball tournament should the Screaming Devils have to face Hancock Central, and yesterday that very event happened. The boys basketball forfeited rather than face Hancock Central, thus ending Warren County’s season. The reason for the forfeit was safety according to Warren County Schools Superintendent Carole Jean Carey in the Augusta Chronicle. The two schools brawled following an October 14 football game. The Warren County girls would potentially also forfeit should the team face Hancock Central in the region semifinals, though that would mean the team would have already qualified for the state championship tournament. ...
Congratulations go out to McEachern girls coach Phyllis Arthur for her nomination in the Naismith Award contest. Arthur is up for national girls high school basketball coach of the year. The Indians, undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the Score poll, is up to No. 2 nationally in the ESPN Rise poll. ...
Finally, yesterday I said that the just-retired Rodney Walker (West Rome 1984) and Chip Walker (Sandy Creek 2009, 2010) were the only father-son combination to win state titles in the state of Georgia; however Hal Lamb’s 2011 Class AA crown this year gave the Lamb family a father-son title grab with Ray Lamb also snagging one with Commerce in 1981.
Score was alerted to the possibility of Warren County’s basketball team pulling out of the Region 7-A basketball tournament should the Screaming Devils have to face Hancock Central, and yesterday that very event happened. The boys basketball forfeited rather than face Hancock Central, thus ending Warren County’s season. The reason for the forfeit was safety according to Warren County Schools Superintendent Carole Jean Carey in the Augusta Chronicle. The two schools brawled following an October 14 football game. The Warren County girls would potentially also forfeit should the team face Hancock Central in the region semifinals, though that would mean the team would have already qualified for the state championship tournament. ...
Congratulations go out to McEachern girls coach Phyllis Arthur for her nomination in the Naismith Award contest. Arthur is up for national girls high school basketball coach of the year. The Indians, undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the Score poll, is up to No. 2 nationally in the ESPN Rise poll. ...
Finally, yesterday I said that the just-retired Rodney Walker (West Rome 1984) and Chip Walker (Sandy Creek 2009, 2010) were the only father-son combination to win state titles in the state of Georgia; however Hal Lamb’s 2011 Class AA crown this year gave the Lamb family a father-son title grab with Ray Lamb also snagging one with Commerce in 1981.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Parkview still undefeated but WaCo loses
While many people will focus on undefeated Class AAAAA No. 1 McEachern, the undefeated Parkview girls will take on Shiloh tonight in the first round of the Region 8-AAAAA tournament. Parkview is 25-0, the second time in three years the Panthers have gone undefeated in the regular season. ...
For the first time all season a Washington County school tasted defeat when the Hancock Central boys knocked off the Class AAA No. 2 43-40. The boys had run out to a 22-0 start before falling. The girls meanwhile sit atop the latest Class AAA poll with a 24-0 record. ...
Mary Persons’ Rodney Walker announced late last week that he was retiring after more than 40 years on the sidelines. He was 302-150-3 over his career, which included stops at nine different Georgia programs. For the last six years he patrolled the Bulldogs sidelines. Walker won a state title with West Rome in 1984. Walker’s son Chip recently won back-to-back titles at Sandy Creek, giving the Walker family the first father-son combination to win state titles in Georgia history. ...
The Brookwood Broncos girls swimming and diving team took home the Class AAAAA title thanks to some incredible depth, racking up 226 points to cruise to a win. Greg Puckett’s girls notched four second-place finishes and a pair of third-place finishes, along with Kelsey Gouge’s win in the 50 free. Before the event, Puckett said of his star “the sprint freestyle events are her best event which maker her even more of an asset to the team.” He called her a leader of the team as well as “an individual that the other girls look to when the team needs a strong performance.” She was runner-up in the 100 free and helped the 200 medley relay team take second place as well.
For the first time all season a Washington County school tasted defeat when the Hancock Central boys knocked off the Class AAA No. 2 43-40. The boys had run out to a 22-0 start before falling. The girls meanwhile sit atop the latest Class AAA poll with a 24-0 record. ...
Mary Persons’ Rodney Walker announced late last week that he was retiring after more than 40 years on the sidelines. He was 302-150-3 over his career, which included stops at nine different Georgia programs. For the last six years he patrolled the Bulldogs sidelines. Walker won a state title with West Rome in 1984. Walker’s son Chip recently won back-to-back titles at Sandy Creek, giving the Walker family the first father-son combination to win state titles in Georgia history. ...
The Brookwood Broncos girls swimming and diving team took home the Class AAAAA title thanks to some incredible depth, racking up 226 points to cruise to a win. Greg Puckett’s girls notched four second-place finishes and a pair of third-place finishes, along with Kelsey Gouge’s win in the 50 free. Before the event, Puckett said of his star “the sprint freestyle events are her best event which maker her even more of an asset to the team.” He called her a leader of the team as well as “an individual that the other girls look to when the team needs a strong performance.” She was runner-up in the 100 free and helped the 200 medley relay team take second place as well.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Parker, Goodwin make McDonald's All-America team
Tony Parker of Miller Grove was one of two Georgians named to the recent McDonald’s All-America team. He celebrated Thursday’s announcement with a 78-31 win Friday over Douglass. Shaq Goodwin, the other Georgian named to the team, helped Southwest DeKalb edge Mays 63-56.
The regular season wrapped up with a few regions decided, including a sweep in Suwanee. The North Gwinnett boys got 29 points from senior Chris Bolden en route to a 63-51 win over Norcross, helping the Bulldogs to their first regular season region crown since 2003. Kameron Calhoun added 12 points in the victory. Brandon Goodwin (23 points) and Derrick Herbert (13, points, 12 rebounds) paced the Blue Devils in defeat. The North Gwinnett girls were also victorious, handing Norcross a 69-41 defeat to claim the region title. North Gwinnett shot 9-16 from behind the arc, with Lexie Brown going 4-8 herself. Brown finished with 30 points and eight assists in the dominating win.
The Lowndes girls squad earned a share of the Region 1-AAAAA title with a 50-34 win over Coffee. Lowndes split the title with Colquitt County. Lowndes won a coin flip and will be the No. 1 seed in the upcoming region tournament.
Damon Mitchell would not be denied in Marietta’s regular-season finale, as Mitchell poured in 30 points in an 81-74 win over Wheeler. Marietta canned six three-pointers in the first quarter to lead 20-11 early. Score 44 center Chuck Mitchell scored 20 points for Wheeler. Marietta would win the coin flip against Wheeler and will be the top seed in the Region 5-AAAAA tournament. Harrison won a coin flip for Region 4-AAAAA’s top seed. North Cobb will be the No. 2 seed.
The regular season wrapped up with a few regions decided, including a sweep in Suwanee. The North Gwinnett boys got 29 points from senior Chris Bolden en route to a 63-51 win over Norcross, helping the Bulldogs to their first regular season region crown since 2003. Kameron Calhoun added 12 points in the victory. Brandon Goodwin (23 points) and Derrick Herbert (13, points, 12 rebounds) paced the Blue Devils in defeat. The North Gwinnett girls were also victorious, handing Norcross a 69-41 defeat to claim the region title. North Gwinnett shot 9-16 from behind the arc, with Lexie Brown going 4-8 herself. Brown finished with 30 points and eight assists in the dominating win.
The Lowndes girls squad earned a share of the Region 1-AAAAA title with a 50-34 win over Coffee. Lowndes split the title with Colquitt County. Lowndes won a coin flip and will be the No. 1 seed in the upcoming region tournament.
Damon Mitchell would not be denied in Marietta’s regular-season finale, as Mitchell poured in 30 points in an 81-74 win over Wheeler. Marietta canned six three-pointers in the first quarter to lead 20-11 early. Score 44 center Chuck Mitchell scored 20 points for Wheeler. Marietta would win the coin flip against Wheeler and will be the top seed in the Region 5-AAAAA tournament. Harrison won a coin flip for Region 4-AAAAA’s top seed. North Cobb will be the No. 2 seed.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
A New 3-point Queen
There is a new three-point queen in the state of Georgia and her name is Gabby Arencibia. In Towns County’s 74-39 win over Commerce, Arencibia canned seven three-pointers en route to 25 points. The seven baskets pushed her career total to 295, which set a new state record for career long distance. ...
While McEachern has received most of the attention in Cobb County this season, the Marietta girls basketball team is putting together a strong campaign and recently clinched the No. 1 seed in the Region 5-5A tournament. The Lady Blue Devils are 21-3 and 11-0 in region play thanks to a 66-64 win over Woodstock Tuesday. Marietta has a core four that get it done. Trana Hopkins (21 points against Woodstock), Courtney Sprague (20 points), Jasmine McSwain and Kehera Wilson are a group that make Marietta, ranked No. 6 in this week’s Score Atlanta poll, a dangerous team come playoff time. ...
Jesse Hicks is expected to be named the new head coach at Central Macon today after spending the last two seasons at Dougherty. He would replace interim head coach Brent Thornton. Hicks is the former Baldwin High School head coach who racked up 70 wins in eight seasons at Baldwin. He went just 3-17 in his two seasons at Dougherty. ...
Heads or tails. In some extreme cases, the simply flip of a coin determines important tiebreakers in the state of Georgia, and a coin flip gave Dade County the top seed in the Region 7-AA North girls tournament. Sonoraville, which defeated Calhoun on Tuesday to force the tie, earned the No. 2 seed while Calhoun is left with the No. 3 seed. The top three finishers at this weekend’s subregion tournament advance to next week’s 7-AA Region tournament in Dalton, according to prepcentralonline.com.
While McEachern has received most of the attention in Cobb County this season, the Marietta girls basketball team is putting together a strong campaign and recently clinched the No. 1 seed in the Region 5-5A tournament. The Lady Blue Devils are 21-3 and 11-0 in region play thanks to a 66-64 win over Woodstock Tuesday. Marietta has a core four that get it done. Trana Hopkins (21 points against Woodstock), Courtney Sprague (20 points), Jasmine McSwain and Kehera Wilson are a group that make Marietta, ranked No. 6 in this week’s Score Atlanta poll, a dangerous team come playoff time. ...
Jesse Hicks is expected to be named the new head coach at Central Macon today after spending the last two seasons at Dougherty. He would replace interim head coach Brent Thornton. Hicks is the former Baldwin High School head coach who racked up 70 wins in eight seasons at Baldwin. He went just 3-17 in his two seasons at Dougherty. ...
Heads or tails. In some extreme cases, the simply flip of a coin determines important tiebreakers in the state of Georgia, and a coin flip gave Dade County the top seed in the Region 7-AA North girls tournament. Sonoraville, which defeated Calhoun on Tuesday to force the tie, earned the No. 2 seed while Calhoun is left with the No. 3 seed. The top three finishers at this weekend’s subregion tournament advance to next week’s 7-AA Region tournament in Dalton, according to prepcentralonline.com.
A case for Faton Bauta
It is so easy to fall in love with the hot young recruit that steps on campus, but every once in a while, it makes sense to go head over heels. The University of Georgia has a returning redshirt junior quarterback in Aaron Murray, who broke school records one year ago and seems poised to have most of the passing records by the time he leaves Athens in the spring of 2014. With Hutson Mason taking a redshirt season this year, though, perhaps Dwyer (Fla.) High School product Faton Bauta should get a look in a few packages this year. The future of the position sits squarely in the lap of redshirt freshman Christian LeMay, but Bauta has been on campus for a few weeks now and apparently has spent most of that time at the football complex. According to sources close to Georgia, Bauta is either watching film, studying the playbook, lifting weights or throwing to receivers non-stop. LeMay will be the backup to Murray this year, and he should be with an extra year on Bauta, but don’t be shocked to see Mike Bobo come up with a special package for Bauta.
Rusty Mansell of 247Sports compared Bauta to Tebow and with good reason. Bauta is 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, who was a fullback/linebacker until he moved to quarterback his senior season. He could be called on for quarterback draws or sneaks near the goal line much the way Tebow was used his true freshman season at Florida. He even has shown a better arm the Tebow at this point in his career.
No one in the world expects Bauta to steal a start from Murray, and if Murray were to go down with an injury, odds are LeMay would come in and assume the starter’s role. But don’t be shocked to see Bauta in there a bunch this upcoming season. As much as Georgia fans hated Tebow out there, had he donned the red and black, fans would have been in love. Perhaps this is the universe throwing Georgia a bone in the form of “Tebow Jr.”
Rusty Mansell of 247Sports compared Bauta to Tebow and with good reason. Bauta is 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, who was a fullback/linebacker until he moved to quarterback his senior season. He could be called on for quarterback draws or sneaks near the goal line much the way Tebow was used his true freshman season at Florida. He even has shown a better arm the Tebow at this point in his career.
No one in the world expects Bauta to steal a start from Murray, and if Murray were to go down with an injury, odds are LeMay would come in and assume the starter’s role. But don’t be shocked to see Bauta in there a bunch this upcoming season. As much as Georgia fans hated Tebow out there, had he donned the red and black, fans would have been in love. Perhaps this is the universe throwing Georgia a bone in the form of “Tebow Jr.”
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Waco is unstoppable, Buford and GAC split
Region 6-AA heavyweights GAC and Buford faced off last night in Buford as four ranked teams took the floor seeking playoff positioning. Kaela Davis stepped her game up for Gene Durden’s girls who were playing without MacKenzie Darrah. Former GAC star Kristina Nelson left the game for Buford with a first half injury, forcing Davis and Andraya Carter to carry the load. Carter finished with five points and eight rebounds but it was Davis and her 16 points that paced the Wolves to a 47-43 win. The victory finished off an unbeaten region schedule for Buford. ... In the boys game, Kyle Kellum had18 for Buford while Isaiah Williams and A.J. Davis added 17 and 14, respectively, but it was GAC, led by Delano Spencer’s 20 points that gave the Spartans a 74-70 road win. GAC used a big third quarter run to stretch a two-point halftime lead into a 58-40 margin entering the fourth quarter. ... The Parkview girls finished off an unbeaten regular season with a 58-40 win over rival Brookwood. Marissa Mandeldove canned six three-pointers en route to 20 points for the Panthers. This is the second unbeaten regular season in three years for Parkview. ... The GAC football program is in search of a new coach after Tim Cokely announced he was taking the head coaching job at Marianna (Fla.) High School. Cokely led the Spartans to a 17-5 record during his two seasons with GAC. ... While it isn’t quite to the mark set by the Walton girls tennis team, the Washington County girls basketball team won its 55th straight game last night, 59-46 over Cross Creek. Washington County trailed at intermission but Allisha Gray scored 19 points in the second half to finish with 29. The Washington County boys as 22-0 this season after a 58-46 win over Cross Creek. The girls are one better at 23-0.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Buford, Norcross dealing with injuries as playoffs loom
Losing a player such as Diamond DeShields is supposed to hurt but don’t tell the Norcross Blue Devils that. Despite losing the standout junior (wrist injury) that has helped lead the Norcross girls basketball team to back-to-back Class AAAAA state titles, the Blue Devils have been rolling. Patrice Butler recently went for 22 and 12 in an 81-40 victory over Meadowcreek. Tori Carter and Jasmine Kemp have also stepped their games up in DeShields’ absence. No. 2 Norcross faces No. 4 North Gwinnett in Suwanee this Friday. Norcross won the first meeting 48-37 on Jan. 17. ... Speaking of injuries, just as the Buford Wolves were welcoming back backcourt standout Andraya Carter, Gene Durden’s club loses MacKenzie Darrah to a dislocated right hip. According to the Gwinnett Daily Post, the injury occurred when Darrah was going after a loose ball in a win over Decatur. No timetable has been set for her return. ... The year of Archer just experienced another bright spot as the wrestling program claimed its first region title with a victory in the Area 8-AAAAA traditional tournament. Archer also qualified all 14 wrestlers for next week’s Class AAAAA state sectionals as five wrestlers took individual titles. Sam Bullard (106 pounds), Grant Aycox (120), Elliot Lee (182), Ernest Alexander (195) and Hunter McCleskey (285) all took titles to help Archer better runner-up Brookwood. Archer’s basketball team, ranked earlier this season, pulled off a stunner over No. 6 Berkmar 70-54. Randall Smith had 19 points and 10 assists in the victory to move Archer to 17-7, 12-3 in region play. Archer trailed at one point in the second quarter 26-16 but went into intermission up 31-30. Bryan Hamlet notched 13 points, including the junior’s 1000th career point. ... Finally Kanler Coker was selected as the Touchdown Club of Atlanta’s Offensive Player of the Year yesterday. The Flowery Branch senior quarterback passed for 2833 yards and 31 scores while running for 837 yards and 15 more in 2011. Coker is headed to UNC.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Parker, Miller Grove get the better of SWD
Miller Grove managed to finish off a season sweep of the Southwest DeKalb boys over the weekend with a 59-53 win. The Wolverines received 20 points and 15 rebounds from Tony Parker to take down Shaq Goodwin and the rest of the Panthers. UGA-commit Brandon Morris chipped in 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists for Miller Grove. The two last met back in December, with Miller Grove prevailing 57-53 in overtime. ...
Yonel Brown had 12 points in Berkmar’s 61-45 win over Meadowcreek, but it was A.D. Rogers and Tim Rowe each going to 15 that pushed the Patriots into the win column. No. 8 Berkmar improved to 16-7 just one night after the Patriots dropped a game to Archer 70-54. ...
Buford is now set for its regular season finale against GAC after disposing of Jackson 59-49. A.J. Davis has found his footing, going for 14, matching Isiah Williams in the victory. ...
North Gwinnett received 23 points from Score 44 guard Chris Bolden to knock off Mill Creek 46-41. The suffocating Bulldogs defense hounded No. 4 Mill Creek into a 1-16 night from behind the three-point line. ... The North Gwinnett girls were never really challenged in a 62-39 victory over Mill Creek. The No. 4 Bulldogs nearly received a triple-double from five-foot-nine junior Lexie Brown, who tallied eight points, eight rebound and 10 rebounds. ...
Whitefield Academy faced Harrison in an inter-classification matchup that saw the Wolfpack prevail 66-57. Kenny Gaines scored 24 points to help snap Harrison’s 10-game winning streak. The victory was Whitefield’s 12th in a row. ... Sprayberry had two players go for 21+ points in an 87-63 win over Kell. D.J. Vereen notched 24 points and Trey Schultz chipped in 21 points in the victory. Two other players each scored 18 in the win.
Yonel Brown had 12 points in Berkmar’s 61-45 win over Meadowcreek, but it was A.D. Rogers and Tim Rowe each going to 15 that pushed the Patriots into the win column. No. 8 Berkmar improved to 16-7 just one night after the Patriots dropped a game to Archer 70-54. ...
Buford is now set for its regular season finale against GAC after disposing of Jackson 59-49. A.J. Davis has found his footing, going for 14, matching Isiah Williams in the victory. ...
North Gwinnett received 23 points from Score 44 guard Chris Bolden to knock off Mill Creek 46-41. The suffocating Bulldogs defense hounded No. 4 Mill Creek into a 1-16 night from behind the three-point line. ... The North Gwinnett girls were never really challenged in a 62-39 victory over Mill Creek. The No. 4 Bulldogs nearly received a triple-double from five-foot-nine junior Lexie Brown, who tallied eight points, eight rebound and 10 rebounds. ...
Whitefield Academy faced Harrison in an inter-classification matchup that saw the Wolfpack prevail 66-57. Kenny Gaines scored 24 points to help snap Harrison’s 10-game winning streak. The victory was Whitefield’s 12th in a row. ... Sprayberry had two players go for 21+ points in an 87-63 win over Kell. D.J. Vereen notched 24 points and Trey Schultz chipped in 21 points in the victory. Two other players each scored 18 in the win.
Friday, February 3, 2012
The Satisfaction will come eventually
For more on Georgia's Signing Class, check out www.chuckoliver.net
As a Georgia guy following the faxes on National Signing Day, I was reminded of Teddy KGB from Rounders. “Just like a young man, coming in for (an ice cream cone). I feel so unsatisfied.” Well perhaps I changed the part about the ice cream cone, but you get the gist. Georgia had 17 pledges the morning of National Signing Day, then managed to flip Josh Dawson from Vanderbilt and then (eventually) secure Josh Harvey-Clemons. Anytime you can snag the best player in the state and get a four-star prospect away from a division opponent, you should call it a good day.
But I was left wanting more. Was I spoiled by last year’s Dream Team? I guess I was. Georgia was in the running for Ronald Darby and Avery Young yet missed out on both. Georgia thought it could get Brandon Greene and/or Ja’Quay Williams to flip, but both stayed with Alabama and Auburn, respectively. Georgia finished with 19 players, including a kicker and a punter, and in the top five according to ESPN, the top ten according to 247Sports and in the top 11 according to the two other services. But I just wanted more. I wanted a faster start than what Georgia had and I wanted a stronger finish. Am I being selfish?
Georgia managed to snag two of the top six running backs in the country, filling a need. Georgia managed to snag two of the best players in the state in Jordan Jenkins and Harvey-Clemons. Georgia managed to snag some help on the defensive line in John Atkins, Leonard Floyd, James Deloach, Jonathan Taylor and Dawson. Georgia managed to grab a freak of an athlete in Faton Bauta, who is already spending 15 hours a day at the Georgia complex, lifting, studying and improving. Oh and did I mention yet that Georgia managed to snag one of the best offensive linemen in the country in five-star tackle John Theus who should start from Day One?
Georgia’s class is worthy of a top ten ranking, no doubt. It just feels that after last year’s strong close, when the Dawgs won several late declarations that they missed this year, perhaps this class never had a chance. Another 10 game winning streak will make us forget all of the stars and rankings though. Once we see Keith Marshall score his first touchdown with Theus blocking, I’m sure I will feel plenty satisfied then.
As a Georgia guy following the faxes on National Signing Day, I was reminded of Teddy KGB from Rounders. “Just like a young man, coming in for (an ice cream cone). I feel so unsatisfied.” Well perhaps I changed the part about the ice cream cone, but you get the gist. Georgia had 17 pledges the morning of National Signing Day, then managed to flip Josh Dawson from Vanderbilt and then (eventually) secure Josh Harvey-Clemons. Anytime you can snag the best player in the state and get a four-star prospect away from a division opponent, you should call it a good day.
But I was left wanting more. Was I spoiled by last year’s Dream Team? I guess I was. Georgia was in the running for Ronald Darby and Avery Young yet missed out on both. Georgia thought it could get Brandon Greene and/or Ja’Quay Williams to flip, but both stayed with Alabama and Auburn, respectively. Georgia finished with 19 players, including a kicker and a punter, and in the top five according to ESPN, the top ten according to 247Sports and in the top 11 according to the two other services. But I just wanted more. I wanted a faster start than what Georgia had and I wanted a stronger finish. Am I being selfish?
Georgia managed to snag two of the top six running backs in the country, filling a need. Georgia managed to snag two of the best players in the state in Jordan Jenkins and Harvey-Clemons. Georgia managed to snag some help on the defensive line in John Atkins, Leonard Floyd, James Deloach, Jonathan Taylor and Dawson. Georgia managed to grab a freak of an athlete in Faton Bauta, who is already spending 15 hours a day at the Georgia complex, lifting, studying and improving. Oh and did I mention yet that Georgia managed to snag one of the best offensive linemen in the country in five-star tackle John Theus who should start from Day One?
Georgia’s class is worthy of a top ten ranking, no doubt. It just feels that after last year’s strong close, when the Dawgs won several late declarations that they missed this year, perhaps this class never had a chance. Another 10 game winning streak will make us forget all of the stars and rankings though. Once we see Keith Marshall score his first touchdown with Theus blocking, I’m sure I will feel plenty satisfied then.
Two of Georgia's Big Three on Display tonight
Walton and Lassiter met twice on the football field this past season with Walton prevailing twice. Many of those Trojans players will seek out a measure of revenge tonight as the two programs square off on the hardwood. Lassiter’s roster includes football standouts Niles Clark, Juwan Dickey, Robert Dowling and Adam Dowell. ...
Wheeler will hit the road to face Etowah. Charles Mitchell scored 30, including 12 in the fourth quarter in last week’s loss to Milton. He will look for some help to take down Etowah. ...
No. 4 Mill Creek travels to North Gwinnett in a game that features two teams that have been ranked in the Score Atlanta Class AAAAA rankings at various points this season. Chris Bolden of the Score 44 will be in for a battle with Mill Creek’s talented Paul Evans and Jalen Bracey. ...
Class AAAA No. 1 Miller Grove will host No. 5 Southwest DeKalb tonight as Shaq Goodwin, a member of the Score 44 and one of the Big Three faces another member of the Big Three, Tony Parker as well as Score 44 forward Brandon Morris. ... On Saturday Buford (AA) faces Eagle’s Landing (AAA) in a matchup of No. 3 teams teams. ...
In girls action, Class AAAA No. 8 Miller Grove will host Southwest DeKalb while Class AAA No. 2 St. Pius hosts North Atlanta. ... No. 4 North Gwinnett looks to continue is nice run with a matchup against the always-dangerous Mill Creek. ... North Cobb is looking for a win against Kennesaw Mountain as the Warriors cling to the No. 10 spot in Class AAAAA. ...
In a Class AA showdown, No. 7 Decatur travels to the Long Forum to meet No. 8 Greater Atlanta Christian. Both teams will seek to leverage a win for better positioning in the region tournament. ... Saturday will see Buford meet Jackson-Atlanta a day after the Wolves host Cross Keys as Wolves senior Andraya Carter plays in her first game since returning to the Score 44 list.
Wheeler will hit the road to face Etowah. Charles Mitchell scored 30, including 12 in the fourth quarter in last week’s loss to Milton. He will look for some help to take down Etowah. ...
No. 4 Mill Creek travels to North Gwinnett in a game that features two teams that have been ranked in the Score Atlanta Class AAAAA rankings at various points this season. Chris Bolden of the Score 44 will be in for a battle with Mill Creek’s talented Paul Evans and Jalen Bracey. ...
Class AAAA No. 1 Miller Grove will host No. 5 Southwest DeKalb tonight as Shaq Goodwin, a member of the Score 44 and one of the Big Three faces another member of the Big Three, Tony Parker as well as Score 44 forward Brandon Morris. ... On Saturday Buford (AA) faces Eagle’s Landing (AAA) in a matchup of No. 3 teams teams. ...
In girls action, Class AAAA No. 8 Miller Grove will host Southwest DeKalb while Class AAA No. 2 St. Pius hosts North Atlanta. ... No. 4 North Gwinnett looks to continue is nice run with a matchup against the always-dangerous Mill Creek. ... North Cobb is looking for a win against Kennesaw Mountain as the Warriors cling to the No. 10 spot in Class AAAAA. ...
In a Class AA showdown, No. 7 Decatur travels to the Long Forum to meet No. 8 Greater Atlanta Christian. Both teams will seek to leverage a win for better positioning in the region tournament. ... Saturday will see Buford meet Jackson-Atlanta a day after the Wolves host Cross Keys as Wolves senior Andraya Carter plays in her first game since returning to the Score 44 list.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Buford, Tucker keep the fax machines rolling
Franklin Stephens and Jess Simpson were busy men Wednesday morning, introducing seniors that had worked hard enough to receive football scholarships to suit up next season across the country while earning a college degree. The Tucker and Buford coaches took time to thank the players, the assistant coaches, teachers and parents for everyone’s sacrifice and dedication leading up to the special culmination of National Signing Day.
Tucker saw nine players introduced to an auditorium full of supporters as Marqeeye Biggs (Tusculum College), Nick Collins (Lafayette), Kenneth Crenshaw (UT-Martin), Adaryl Jones (Averett University), Jordan Landry (UT-Martin), Justin Rivers (Tusculum) and Michael Young (Georgia Southern) all signed letters of intent. Jacob Sealand committed to Vanderbilt and was hoping for some company in Nashville in teammate Josh Dawson. However the coveted DE selected a red and black hat, indicating that he would matriculate to the University of Georgia. The atmosphere was rave-level as each player received multiple standing ovations and flash bulbs popped with each stroke of the pen. Dawson’s decision brought multiple recruiting services and media outlets to Tucker High School, including Score Atlanta, as the recent full court press put on by Mark Richt and his staff paid off in the end.
The scene was a bit quieter early Wednesday morning at Buford High School. Jess Simpson began the ceremony by indicating that three Wolves from a senior class that had appeared in four state championship games, winning three, all while racking up 57 wins had enrolled early to get a jump on the 2012 football season. Dillon Lee (Alabama), Kurt Freitag (Alabama) and Vadal Alexander (LSU) were not in attendance at the ceremony. Simpson went in alphabetical order to announce the scholarship winners, beginning with Dequan Clark (Georgia Southern) and ending with Nathan Staub (UNC). Ryan Dillard will take his talents to Yale of the Ivy League and Paris Head will head to Vanderbilt, an Ivy League-level school that plays in the SEC. Robert Hill (UTC) and Andre Johnson (Coastal Carolina) were named, as was Rick Legrant, who will attend UNC-Charlotte and help that school start its football program. C.J. Moore was also announced as the athlete will head to the University of Virginia.
Many dreams came true on National Signing Day, but the athletes that signed also were reminded that the process has just begun. Now comes the hard part of leaving high school and attending college, turning the potential into substance, all while working towards a degree and a future.
Tucker saw nine players introduced to an auditorium full of supporters as Marqeeye Biggs (Tusculum College), Nick Collins (Lafayette), Kenneth Crenshaw (UT-Martin), Adaryl Jones (Averett University), Jordan Landry (UT-Martin), Justin Rivers (Tusculum) and Michael Young (Georgia Southern) all signed letters of intent. Jacob Sealand committed to Vanderbilt and was hoping for some company in Nashville in teammate Josh Dawson. However the coveted DE selected a red and black hat, indicating that he would matriculate to the University of Georgia. The atmosphere was rave-level as each player received multiple standing ovations and flash bulbs popped with each stroke of the pen. Dawson’s decision brought multiple recruiting services and media outlets to Tucker High School, including Score Atlanta, as the recent full court press put on by Mark Richt and his staff paid off in the end.
The scene was a bit quieter early Wednesday morning at Buford High School. Jess Simpson began the ceremony by indicating that three Wolves from a senior class that had appeared in four state championship games, winning three, all while racking up 57 wins had enrolled early to get a jump on the 2012 football season. Dillon Lee (Alabama), Kurt Freitag (Alabama) and Vadal Alexander (LSU) were not in attendance at the ceremony. Simpson went in alphabetical order to announce the scholarship winners, beginning with Dequan Clark (Georgia Southern) and ending with Nathan Staub (UNC). Ryan Dillard will take his talents to Yale of the Ivy League and Paris Head will head to Vanderbilt, an Ivy League-level school that plays in the SEC. Robert Hill (UTC) and Andre Johnson (Coastal Carolina) were named, as was Rick Legrant, who will attend UNC-Charlotte and help that school start its football program. C.J. Moore was also announced as the athlete will head to the University of Virginia.
Many dreams came true on National Signing Day, but the athletes that signed also were reminded that the process has just begun. Now comes the hard part of leaving high school and attending college, turning the potential into substance, all while working towards a degree and a future.
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